Baseball Shocks Third-Ranked Spartans

Yudelmis Hernandez (pictured) drove in a pair of runs and Bobby Hernandez improved to 7-0. Photo by Joel Auerbach.

TAMPA, Fla.—The Barry Buccaneers bested the third-ranked Tampa Spartans 4-2 at the UT Baseball Field on Friday night in the opening game of a Sunshine State Conference series.

The Bucs (32-17, 11-11 SSC) got RBI singles from Yudelmis Hernandez and Brett Rossi in a two-run fourth inning that proved to be decisive.

Bobby Hernandez (7-0) kept his record unblemished with seven strong innings. He scattered six hits and five walks, allowing just two runs (one earned) against the Spartans’ powerful offense. He struck out five. Brian Mastin allowed a hit and three walks in two scoreless innings to earn his first career save.

The Bucs got on the board early in the second inning. Johns Servidio singled and came home on a ground out by Yudelmis Hernandez.

The Spartans (36-9-1, 15-7 SSC) evened the game in the bottom of the second. Steven Broschofsky walked with two outs and scored ahead of a double by Leo Alvarez.

In the fourth, Carlos Gomez walked with one out and moved to third on a single by Joel Keefe. Hernandez singled to knock in Gomez and one out later, Rossi delivered Keefe with a single up the middle.

The Spartans closed to 3-2 in the bottom of the fourth when Alvarez reached on an error by Mitch Rodriguez and scored on an error by Nick Shaw.

Barry added an insurance run in the seventh. Andrew Frezza doubled with one out and scored on a triple by Servidio.

Keven Ferguson (6-3) took the loss for Tampa. He allowed three runs on nine hits and a walk in six innings, striking out three.

Servidio had three hits to lead the Bucs, while Rodriguez and Keefe each had two. Yudelmis Hernandez knocked in a pair. Ryan Williams was the only Spartan to register two hits.

The teams close out the series on Saturday, May3 with a doubleheader slated for 1:00 pm.